Wessex League title-chasing Horndean take over as the highest scorers in the top nine tiers of English football

Horndean's Zack Willett scored his 46th goal of the season in a 5-0 Wessex League win at Laverstock. Picture: Keith Woodland

Two days after thrashing Hamble Club 6-0, the Deans romped to a 5-0 Premier Division win at Laverstock & Ford.

Michael Birmingham’s title hopefuls have now plundered 118 goals in just 34 league games - an average of 3.47 per game.

They are three goals ahead of fellow Wessex Premier pair AFC Portchester and Bemerton and Southern Combination Leaguers Newhaven.

But it is not just in attack where Horndean’s numbers are so impressive - their defensive record is among the best in the top nine tiers also.

They have only conceded 19 goals in those 34 games, which works out a goal every 161 minutes (plus stoppage time).

Incredibly, the Deans have now conceded just two goals in their last 12 Wessex fixtures (scoring 50 themselves).

Only one player - Stoneham’s Liam Callaghan - has scored against them in open play since the middle of February.

The only other goal conceded during that time was a penalty converted by Portchester’s Harrison Brook earlier this month.

Horndean’s run of 33 points out of a possible 36 has put them in pole position to win their first-ever Wessex League title.

They are five points behind table-topping Portchester but have three games in hand.

Indeed, they could be crowned champions by the time the Royals travel to Bemerton for their last fixture on Tuesday, April 25.

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They will move into top spot if they can beat visiting Brockenhurst on Tuesday and Baffins at the PMC Stadium on Thursday.

A third win in five days, at home to Bemerton next Saturday, would then see Horndean open up an uncatchable lead.

Easier said than done, of course. Though failure to beat Brock - with just one win in their last 17 league matches - would be a major shock, Baffins away and Bemerton at home promise to be very tough fixtures.

Horndean, however, are in stunning form. After becoming the first side this season to put six past Hamble in a league game, they became the first club to score five at Laverstock this term.

Zack Willett opened the scoring early on, netting his 46th league and cup goal of 2022/23 and his 42nd in the league.

Willett set up Tommy Scutt to add a second before half-time with an own goal, Ethan Gee and Connor Duffin on target after the restart.

Horndean’s goal difference is now a superb plus 99 - again, the highest in the 31 divisions that make up the top nine tiers of English football.

It is still some way short of the Wessex League record, though - the plus 120 recorded by Andover in winning the 2000/01 title.

Winchester City (plus 116, 2003/04), Poole Town (plus 110, 2008/09) and Sholing (plus 105, 2013/14) have also ended title-winning seasons with three-figure goal differences.

*Showing just how impressive Horndean and Portchester have been this season, they currently have two of the seven best points-per-game records in the top nine tiers.

Combined Counties League North leaders Ascot boast the best record, with 2.65 PPG.

They are followed by Cribbs (Hellenic League, 2.63), Hashtag (Isthmian League North, 2.62), Horndean (2.61), Worksop (Northern Premier League East, 2.58), Raynes Park (Combined Counties League South, 2.57) and Portchester (2.54).